The event was organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) to thank the artists for their marvellous performances and significant contributions to Hong Kong's participation in the Expo. It also gave the performing art groups, artists and production teams a valuable chance to share their experiences gained during Shanghai Expo.

Speaking at today's reception, the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mrs Betty Fung, said: "The Shanghai Expo was the largest in the history of this global event and attracted the greatest ever number of visitors. "

LCSD is proud to have presented a kaleidoscope of over 50 performances, seminars and workshops as well as two large-scale visual arts exhibitions for Expo, involving more than 1,200 artists and creative talents."

Mrs Fung said all these programmes have received overwhelming response from the Shanghai audiences.

She said Hong Kong's cultural performances during Shanghai Expo had attracted over 17,000 people in total and recorded an average attendance rate of 90% with some playing to a full house. The free concerts and programmes staged by LCSD at the Shanghai Expo Park and at various locations in Shanghai won the applause of nearly 40,000 spectators. In addition, the two exhibitions, "Legacy and Creations - Ink Art vs Ink Art Exhibition" and "Legacy and Creations - Art vs Art Exhibition", held at Shanghai Art Museum and Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai respectively, welcomed some 40,000 visitors. Altogether, the cultural programmes presented by Hong Kong had attracted nearly 100,000 visitors.

Mrs Fung encouraged closer collaboration between the local performing arts community in Hong Kong and their Mainland counterparts.

"The presentation of 'River of Wisdom - Animated Version of the Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival' - the star exhibit at the China Pavilion of Shanghai Expo - in Hong Kong for three weeks, represents the first key post-Expo Hong Kong-Shanghai cultural exchange programme," she said.

Mrs Fung expressed her gratitude to the Shanghai Municipal People's Government and the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination again for their staunch support in bringing the animated version of the national treasure to Hong Kong. She said she looked forward to continued collaboration between Hong Kong and Shanghai to strengthen cultural exchange and generate greater business opportunities for the cultural sector in future.

During the reception, certificates of appreciation were presented to artists and groups who had taken part in performances co-ordinated by LCSD and the Hong Kong Arts Development Council in Shanghai.

During the six-month Expo period, 24 arts groups from Hong Kong showcased their talents in 26 cultural programmes, including the Hong Kong Week programme from October 18 to 22. Venues included the Shanghai Expo Park as well as prominent performing arts venues in Shanghai such as the Shanghai Grand Theatre, Shanghai Oriental Art Center, Shanghai Theatre Academy and Shanghai Concert Hall.

Artists, performers and production teams who had participated in the cultural programmes for Expo 2010 Shanghai China attended a reception at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre today (November 18) to share their experience gained during the Expo.